kreekree
11-11-2012, 10:30 AM
First time taking on the challenge of discus. I orginally started with a underground filter system, gravel, decorations and was told my the local fish that discus were so easy to raise you could raise them in toliet! My son who is 11 thought they were beautiful so we were sold. We paid $40 a piece for two 2.5 inch discus. A Red pigeon blood and a Blue cobalt we brought home. Both of us were thrilled when we came home and started searching what our two discus would grow up to look like. THEN.....Momma had some time and began to research.
Low and behold we forsure had one stunted blue turk and a peppered red pigeon blood :( I then removed the underground filter system and gravel, bought two sponge filters and went bare bottom and cranked my temperature up to 85. The red pigeon blood began to grow and the blue cobalt remained odd looking and occasionally ate. Kept reading and took up bike riding at the gym so that I could read every forum on this page. I have gone back pages and pages obsessing over these discus.
I started searching on craigslist for a bigger tank knowing also that 40 gallon high wasn't going to cut it along with owning two discus. Someone posted a 90 gallon tank for $40...sold! Came with a stand, no hood and needed some cleaning. The tank looked huge when I went to pick it up compared to my 40 high. Brought it home and measured it....55 gallon...yeah the dude lied! Well at least it was a 55 which I figured was a good start since my reading said to at least start with a 55. Filled the tank half way and it started leaking:mad: Again the dude lied...nice! Looked like an easy fit so I scrapped the silicone and resealed it. Yeah me! Then I started researching for tank lids....yeah not worth the money. Again I started researching and came upon a 75 gallon tank on craigslist with a lid, heater, filter system etc for $75:D This time I measured the tank before I left, was told I could bring it back if it leaked for my money back. SOLD!
In the meantime my 2 discus were still doing well in the 40 gallon tank. Mr. Pigeon was now 3.5 inches and the blue cobalt remains dark and 2.5 inches with once a day water changes. 75 gallon tank was cleaned and set up was started. It was going to be a display tank in our family room. I found my pool sand and put a very thin, thin layer, 2 pieces of driftwood and some fake silk plants attached to the driftwood so I can easily move them when cleaning. Ordered some black worms from Ken along with two jag heaters, digital therometer controller, Kens flake food, 2 air pumps, 2 more sponges....Next was to find myself a sponsor.
Going to Colubus for a soccer tournament....Mike was just around the corner and would be the perfect stop on our way home. Mike Beals was the lucky winner to deal with my family of four :D. For the next couple weeks I continued to read and read. Decided I would buy two more sponges from Mike so that my tank would be perfect biologically since my plan was to fill them only with his fish. My plan was to go with 4-5 discus from Mike. We showed up after the tournament where Mike welcomed us ALL into his house. He was very patient and answered all of my questions. He also gave us some GREAT deals! We came home with SIX discus which were ALL beautiful! No goofy looking discus from Mike. Set the tank up with Mike sponges and filled the rest of the tank. Lights reamined off for a couple days and everyone basically hid in the corner.
Its now been one week today and these guys are swimming around like crazy with the lights on and eating. The only problem I have is that I do have some bully's that pick on one discus. Water changes have been once a day 60% with a wipe down daily. I am feeding them tetra color bits (which Mikes fish do not like at this point). Mikes fish were use to blood worms but I'm trying to get them off of that some. I am trying to get them to like black worms and Kens flake food right now. I also went against the rules and added the pigeon blood into the tank along with three cory's yesterday. The pigeon has been healthy and Mikes discus were doing great. I know many would disagree with my choice but took the plunge and will document what happens. As for the other ugly guy (blue turq) my plan is to keep him in that tank for now and to try and fatten him up. I also have some lemon tetras in there along with cardinals that I plan to add later into the 75. Thats my story.........here's some pictures of the 75764497645076451
Low and behold we forsure had one stunted blue turk and a peppered red pigeon blood :( I then removed the underground filter system and gravel, bought two sponge filters and went bare bottom and cranked my temperature up to 85. The red pigeon blood began to grow and the blue cobalt remained odd looking and occasionally ate. Kept reading and took up bike riding at the gym so that I could read every forum on this page. I have gone back pages and pages obsessing over these discus.
I started searching on craigslist for a bigger tank knowing also that 40 gallon high wasn't going to cut it along with owning two discus. Someone posted a 90 gallon tank for $40...sold! Came with a stand, no hood and needed some cleaning. The tank looked huge when I went to pick it up compared to my 40 high. Brought it home and measured it....55 gallon...yeah the dude lied! Well at least it was a 55 which I figured was a good start since my reading said to at least start with a 55. Filled the tank half way and it started leaking:mad: Again the dude lied...nice! Looked like an easy fit so I scrapped the silicone and resealed it. Yeah me! Then I started researching for tank lids....yeah not worth the money. Again I started researching and came upon a 75 gallon tank on craigslist with a lid, heater, filter system etc for $75:D This time I measured the tank before I left, was told I could bring it back if it leaked for my money back. SOLD!
In the meantime my 2 discus were still doing well in the 40 gallon tank. Mr. Pigeon was now 3.5 inches and the blue cobalt remains dark and 2.5 inches with once a day water changes. 75 gallon tank was cleaned and set up was started. It was going to be a display tank in our family room. I found my pool sand and put a very thin, thin layer, 2 pieces of driftwood and some fake silk plants attached to the driftwood so I can easily move them when cleaning. Ordered some black worms from Ken along with two jag heaters, digital therometer controller, Kens flake food, 2 air pumps, 2 more sponges....Next was to find myself a sponsor.
Going to Colubus for a soccer tournament....Mike was just around the corner and would be the perfect stop on our way home. Mike Beals was the lucky winner to deal with my family of four :D. For the next couple weeks I continued to read and read. Decided I would buy two more sponges from Mike so that my tank would be perfect biologically since my plan was to fill them only with his fish. My plan was to go with 4-5 discus from Mike. We showed up after the tournament where Mike welcomed us ALL into his house. He was very patient and answered all of my questions. He also gave us some GREAT deals! We came home with SIX discus which were ALL beautiful! No goofy looking discus from Mike. Set the tank up with Mike sponges and filled the rest of the tank. Lights reamined off for a couple days and everyone basically hid in the corner.
Its now been one week today and these guys are swimming around like crazy with the lights on and eating. The only problem I have is that I do have some bully's that pick on one discus. Water changes have been once a day 60% with a wipe down daily. I am feeding them tetra color bits (which Mikes fish do not like at this point). Mikes fish were use to blood worms but I'm trying to get them off of that some. I am trying to get them to like black worms and Kens flake food right now. I also went against the rules and added the pigeon blood into the tank along with three cory's yesterday. The pigeon has been healthy and Mikes discus were doing great. I know many would disagree with my choice but took the plunge and will document what happens. As for the other ugly guy (blue turq) my plan is to keep him in that tank for now and to try and fatten him up. I also have some lemon tetras in there along with cardinals that I plan to add later into the 75. Thats my story.........here's some pictures of the 75764497645076451